UPDATE: I just found out that the 49ers suspended a player just last month for comments criticizing the team and the coach. So it’s not just possible for them to suspend Culliver, they have suspended players for their big mouths. And they went public with the disciplinarian action. So why are the 49ers refusing today to say what disciplinary action if any they took against Culliver? Is it because anti-gay bigotry isn’t as big a deal to the 49ers as being mean to a coach?

“I don’t do the gay guys man,” said Culliver, whose Niners play the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. “I don’t do that. No, we don’t got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.

In response to the immediate uproar over Culliver’s bigoted remarks, the 49ers issued the following statement:

“The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.”

A few points.

1. I don’t see the words “sorry” or “apologize” anywhere in the entire very-short statement.

2. So nothing is going to happen to Chris Culliver for using an official NFL Super Bowl media event in order to create a hostile workplace for his fellow teammates and for any teams he plays against in the future? Sure sounds that way. “We addressed it” is usually code for “we didn’t do jack about it, and we expect this will now all go away.”

But let’s take the 49ers at their word – they “addressed” it. So what did they do to address it? Is he fired? Suspended at least from Sunday’s game? How about a fine? Or how about absolutely nothing. We don’t know because the 49ers clearly aren’t interested in any kind of public accountability on this matter.

And it’s not like the 49ers didn’t have options here. You can suspend someone for out-of-line comments. It’s happened before. From ESPN in 2008:

Less than 48 hours after Kellen Winslow voiced his displeasure with the Cleveland Browns organization, the team opted to discipline its Pro Bowl tight end.

The Browns suspended Winslow for one game without pay following his comments after Sunday’s 14-11 loss to the Washington Redskins. Winslow was unhappy with the way the team and Browns general manager Phil Savage publicly handled his staph infection and said he felt like “a piece of meat.”
As a result, Winslow will be held out of Sunday’s road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3), costing him $235,294 — his one-game paycheck. Winslow also will not be allowed to practice or attend meetings at the team’s facility this week and cannot return until Monday.

“Kellen has expressed his desire to be a productive member of the Cleveland Browns,” Savage said in a statement. “His comments and behavior on Sunday evening, however, were unwarranted, inappropriate, and unnecessarily disparaging to our organization. His statements brought unjustified negative attention to our organization, and violated the team-first concept of our football squad. Therefore, disciplinary action will be taken in the form of a one-game suspension without pay for conduct detrimental to the club.”

Oh, but how about a more recent example. And how about an example that not only includes “speech,” but also includes the 49ers. JUST ONE MONTH AGO:

The San Francisco 49ers suspended running back Brandon Jacobs on Monday for the final three games following a series of posts on social media sites addressing his lack of playing time, including one during the weekend saying he was ”on this team rotting away.”

If anything, to me the 49ers’ statement sounded like they were afraid of offending any bigots out there who might get upset if they did anything to hold Culliver accountable for his incredibly offensive, anti-gay statements.

You just can’t say “there is no place for discrimination,” and then do seemingly nothing when one of your own players hijacks an official event to create a hostile workplace for his coworkers. And I’m sorry, but you don’t “proudly suppor the LGBT community” when you’re clearly too afraid to suspend or fire Culliver for remarks that would have gotten a player booted had they said blacks have place in the NFL – when you’re clearly too afraid to even talk about how you fixed the problem.

And forget about the 49ers, how about the NFL? Not a word from the NFL, even though this occurred at an official NFL Super Bowl event. And people wonder why there are no openly-gay people in the NFL. With bigots like Chris Culliver running around, and weak-tea responses from their teams, and zero from the NFL, I’d be afraid of the NFL’s, and especially the 49ers’, hostile work environment as well.

Of course, the good thing about hostile work environments is that once your employer is made aware of them, and doesn’t do enough to address them, your damages go way up in a civil rights lawsuit.

UPDATE: Pam Spaulding of Pam’s House Blend agrees that the 49ers’ statement is a problem. Pam just sent me the following:

“How infantile a statement this was from San Francisco 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver, who surely has a media handler. How on earth could the 49ers, based in the epicenter of GayWorld, expect to field a player so ignorant and bigoted to the extreme without PR blowback?

Apparently we found out how weak its public relations department is, when it came out with the team’s statement, a sad skirting of the issue did not address the specific, offensive nature of Culliver’s remarks or even take seriously its responsibility to its gay fans (and allies) who find this sort of public statement beneath the organization. How about a statement on how it would treat a gay 49er who wants to be able to live a life out of the closet while still an active player? That would show some gravitas.”

John AravosisFollow me on Twitter: @aravosis | @americablog | @americabloggay | Facebook | Instagram | Google+ | LinkedIn. John Aravosis is the Executive Editor of AMERICAblog, which he founded in 2004. He has a joint law degree (JD) and masters in Foreign Service from Georgetown; and has worked in the US Senate, World Bank, Children's Defense Fund, the United Nations Development Programme, and as a stringer for the Economist. He is a frequent TV pundit, having appeared on the O'Reilly Factor, Hardball, World News Tonight, Nightline, AM Joy & Reliable Sources, among others. John lives in Washington, DC. John's article archive.

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In the wake of anti-gay remarks he made this week, 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver will work with the “The Trevor Project” to learn more about lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth, according to his publicist.

On Thursday, Culliver apologized for his comments and said he’d spoken with members of the gay community, including a relative. His cousin, Andrew Brown, is one of the directors of “Word Is Out,” a 1977 documentary about lesbian and gay identity made by gay filmmakers.

Lauren McGinnis, communications director for The Trevor Project, said in a statement: “We really feel that education about LGBT youth and the challenges they face is a great way to get (Chris) started on the right path, especially since he’s a role model and there are kids all over the country with his poster on their wall, his jersey – his fans that take his words and actions to heart.”

On Thursday, 49ers owner Jed York challenged Culliver to follow through on his pledge to reach out to the gay community.

“I hope that Chris will live up to his comments of wanting to expand his horizons, wanting to get to know the LGBT community,” York said. “Being truly sorry for it.”

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rulegal

The 49ers did nothing today. One player said something he should not have said, it was not the team, other players, or the organization. Skeptical you are a POS.

mirror,
The 49ers have already said they welcome openly-gay football players. Where have you been? They said that ages ago. Why do they have to repeat it just because some people in the “rest of America” don’t know the Bay Area?

There was nothing pathetic, patronizing or insulting about the team’s statement. There was nothing for them to apologize for. They rejected his homophobic comments and said they “addressed” the matter with him. Shortly thereafter Culliver issued his own heartfelt (LOL) apology, which the team probably wrote for him. Previously I speculated that his agent would probably write the apology for him but after reading comments his agent posted on social media I doubt his agent passed “sports and entertainment management” either.
Why don’t you go find a team that doesn’t support LGBT equality and rant and rave at them?

Yes, this entire post is so over-the-top out of line it’s incredible. No one with half a brain would question the gay-friendly support of the 49ers for the LGBT community in the Bay Area. San Francisco has the highest percentage of gay residents of any major city in the country (probably the entire world) and they make up a large percentage of the Niner fanbase.
Culliver has already issued his official apology. I couldn’t care less about him right now. He’s an idiot. Let’s get on with the Super Bowl.

Ninong

He already did. I’m sure they explained that to him in their little meeting. LOL

Ninong

“Racing to this site?” Really! I have almost as many posts on this site as you do. I just don’t make such a fool of myself as you, so I guess you haven’t noticed.

alister

LOL. This post is so ridiculous. As a gay 49er fan that follows the team closely, let me point out a few things. First, in August 2012, the Niners became the first team in the entire NFL to do a “It Gets Better” video supporting anti-gay bullying efforts. They voluntarily did this, and 4 current players agreed to appear in the video and speak about the importance of tolerance. Second, just last week, Out Sports noted that head coach Jim Harbaugh said he had “no discrimination” in his heart and would welcome an openly-gay player on his team. Finally, I’ve lost count of the countless partnerships the team has with the gay community. As you might imagine, it would be near impossible for an anti-gay team to success in San Francisco! Chris Culliver is the problem, not the 49ers. They can’t be expected to control everything that comes out of some 24-year-old idiot’s mouth!

The 49ers have already had gay football players on their team. If those players don’t want to come out until after their professional playing career is over that’s their choice. One of them recently came out in a very creative way! It involved a restaurant fight over “soy sauce and underpants.” Just google Kwame Harris “soy sauce and underpants.”

And then there’s Dave Kopay from the 1960’s. He was a Niner. He’s openly gay, too.

Name the openly gay players on the two Super Bowl teams, shill. If they’re hiding in the closet, I give them the straight identity they so crave.

Skeptical Cicada

Where is the suspension and the team’s actual apology?

And don’t even pretend that his apology makes any difference to you. You’re such a shill you had already declared yourself completely satisfied with nothing.

Ninong

Straights only? Really? You don’t think there are any gay players in the NFL?

Skeptical Cicada

Where’s the suspension and the team’s apology, shilll?

And since when do you care whether he apologized? You were already here shilling and declaring yourself completely satisfied when he wasn’t saying anything.

Ninong

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Skeptical Cicada

Let me know, shill, when the team suspends the bigot and issues its apology.

And why are you racing to this site with the bigot’s apology, shill? You’ve already screamed that you were were completely satisfied even when he was saying nothing.

Skeptical Cicada

I don’t give a FUCK who wins your little straights-only ball game.

Let me know, drooling shill, when the team suspends Culliver and issues an actual apology.

Ninong

Here’s the apology. It’s from the idiot player who made the ignorant homophobic comments in the first place.

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Skeptical Cicada

I don’t give a FUCK who wins some straights-only versus straights-only game.

When the team suspends Culliver and apologizes, let me know, fan boy.

Ninong

Well, you find it “pathetic, patronizing and insulting” because you’re from DC. LOL

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Skeptical Cicada

He not only thinks he’s speaking for many players; he SAID he was. And you’re absolutely right. The team’s pathetic statement did NOTHING to counter that.

The proper response would have been to suspend him IMMEDIATELY and issue an actual apology.

Skeptical Cicada

The moment when a 49ers player spews bigotry and the team does nothing but issue a patronizing non-apology?

Ninong

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Ninong

The 49ers are supportive of the LGBT community! Everyone in San Francisco knows that. No one questions that. Get over yourself!

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Ninong

Chris Culliver has already issued his public apology. I guess it took him a little longer because he had to get someone to write it for him — probably his agent. LOL

“The derogatory comments I made yesterday were a reflection of thoughts in my head, but they are not how I feel. It has taken me seeing them in print to realize that they are hurtful and ugly. Those discriminating feelings are truly not in my heart. Further, I apologize to those who I have hurt and offended, and I pledge to learn and grow from this experience.” — Chris Culliver

Ninong

Hahaha! Spoken like a true Ravens fan! LOL

Skeptical Cicada

He not only bragged about it, but revealed that many of his teammates felt the same way.

Yet the 49ers organization won’t even grunt out an apology, let alone discipline him in any meaningful way.

mbgoro43

Oh, he needs to back the fuck up quickly, no doubt

Skeptical Cicada

I guess for drooling fans, it makes no difference how pathetic, patronizing, and insulting their non-apology is–and their imposition of discipline so weak that they’re embarrassed to disclose it. Stay out of the way of those of us who are gay first, sports fans second.

Skeptical Cicada

And when one of their players spews bigotry, they’re so comfortable with gay men that the can’t even bring themselves to grunt out an apology or offer ANY indication of ANY meaningful discipline.

Skeptical Cicada

The reason you find the statement acceptable–and would find any statement or no statement at all acceptable–is because you’re a drooling fan who is willing to shill like an Uncle Tom for your team.

They support the gay community so much they won’t even grunt out the word “apologize.”

The discrimination he brags about on the basis of sexual orientation is illegal in california.

Skeptical Cicada

Uncle Tom alert!

Skeptical Cicada

Fuck you! I’ll criticize whomever I damn well please, starting with that patronizing and insulting statement from your pet team.

Skeptical Cicada

I find you to have your head up your team’s asshole, and I find the statement pathetic, patronizing, and insulting.

Fuck the 49ers and their Super Bowl.

Skeptical Cicada

The 49ers spat in the faces of every gay man and lesbian today.

Skeptical Cicada

And in the span of 1 hour today, they exposed that video as nothing but fraudulent lip-service. When the rubber hit the road, the gave their raving bigot a little wrist slap and gave the gay community a big “fuck you”!

Skeptical Cicada

Fuck you, Uncle Tom! Get you head out of their asses.

Skeptical Cicada

Fuck you, shill! Where’s the apology and the suspension? The team’s statement was patronizing, pathetic, and offensive.

Stay on their asses, John. Utter bungling by the team has greatly magnified the seriousness of the controversy. Suspend the bigot NOW!

mirror

People would think they weren’t supportive if they had a chance to make a clear strong statement on the national stage, but did almost less than nothing.

tdogfresh

It wasn’t that bad he was joking around with Artie of course the san francisco team is gay.

mirror

Everybody and their mother made an “It gets bettter” video. But then some people left high school and got a job, where there is a raving hateful bigot spewing homophobic bile in the break room and management doing nothing about it but telling you they don’t agree with him. Hey, if one doesn’t like it, they can go into another line of work, right?

mirror

I’ll bet you will hear some grumbling and questioning when this is over if they don’t make a clearer statement that anti-gay bigotry and hate should not be tolerated or condoned in the work place. Sounds to me like Culliver thinks he’s speaking for a bunch of players and the 49ers aren’t doing anything to counter that.

I know they won’t do this, but the proper response would be to say something along the lines of, “The 49ers welcome gay football players if they have the skills and will go to the mat to support an out football player on our team or anywhere in the NFL.”

I assume, because it is the NFL and you are a fan, you ask less than you would for any other business you patronize.

mirror

Newspaper comment threads are always brutal. No way I’m going in there. I doubt the 49ers take their lead from that either. But thanks for the suggestion.

CaliSteve

I have been waiting for this moment for a while!

CaliSteve

Im a out and proud diehard 49er fan who is extremely disappointed at Chris Culliver’s despicable comments. These were his opinions NOT the opinion of the San Francisco 49er Organization or the other teammates. The Niners statement was appropriate.

I also want to point out that the Niners are a very LGBT friendly organization with a huge LGBT fan base that they acknowledge, respect, and appreciate.

Ninong

Yes, the Niners are gay-friendly. It’s amazing to me that anyone would question that but I guess for people who aren’t familiar with San Francisco and the 49ers it’s hard for them to believe that places like that exist.

No one from San Francisco questions the 49ers support for the LGBT community! No one! No one in San Francisco questions the support of the City of San Francisco for gay rights!
In fact, the only complaints you will hear there are that gays control everything. LOL

walterhpdx

I only care about hockey, and don’t know the first thing about football. But if I had to, I’d root for the Ravens, who have Brendon Ayanbadejo – an outspoken GLBT supporter.

CaliSteve

The San Francisco 49er’s does not need to apologize for Chris Culliver’s remarks. They were Chris Culliver’s opinions and not that of the 49er Organization or the other teammates. His remarks were despicable, but that is his opinion and his alone.

Im proud that my team a LGBT friendly organization!

UncleBucky

Culliver should “get out”. Hahaha.

Ninong

Haha! Well, if mirror expects me to get all bent out of shape over a homophobic statement by an obvious jackass then I guess he will have to wait a long time, or at least until after the Super Bowl.

As you can see from the comments, poor Culliver is ripped up pretty badly! Go ahead and register and tell them what you think of that guy but please don’t say anything bad about the 49ers organization or you will start a lengthy flame fest that could go on for days. LOL

“The San Francisco 49ers reject the comments that were made yesterday, and have addressed the matter with Chris. There is no place for discrimination within our organization at any level. We have and always will proudly support the LGBT community.”

The reason I find that statement acceptable is because I lived in San Francisco for 21 years and I know that the statement is truthful. The Niners have a huge gay fanbase and they have always been appreciative of all of their fans, straight and gay. Why in the world anyone would think that a professional sports organization in San Francisco would be anything other than supportive of the LGBT community is beyond my comprehension.

Welcome back Ninong—was looking for your input recently on a theological dust up.. Sorry for the cross talk.

mirror

Well…that email didn’t work. Anybody got another one?

mirror

You sound like a homer who doesn’t want to have your team impacted on the verge of the superbowl…

Ninong

We don’t know yet whether there will be any “consequence” for Culliver because we don’t know what took place between him and the team. The guy’s not a star, or even close to being one. Who knows if he will even be around next year. He sounds like an idiot to me.

mirror

Well, maybe they should put up or shut up, right? Or are they saying,” It gets better … when you escape from people like us”?

If you let Culliver play without a full apology on his
part stating why his remarks were hateful, bigoted, and bullying, then
you yourselves are saying you support employment discrimination and
hateful bigotry in the workplace. If his absence screws the team, that
was his choice. Otherwise, you are supporting hate and discrimination
or too weak to stand up against hate and discrimination.

I know if he had said he wanted to force Jews or blacks out of the workplace, you would have been on him like a freight train.

mirror

If there is no consequence for Culliver, then it means the team doesn’t believe it is important to fight hate and discrimination in the work place. I know I’d have serious trouble keeping my job with a statement like that. To do otherwise in this case says the 49ers believe “it gets better” doesn’t apply to the NFL.

Ninong

Okay, I just found the Niners’ “It Gets Better Video!” They were the FIRST NFL team to make one!

“No, we don’t got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do.” Hahaha! OMG! What a genius! He’s from Philly and he majored in “sports and entertainment management” at South Carolina. So much for higher education at South Carolina! LOL
The guy’s only a backup. I find the team’s statement acceptable. Why should they have to say “sorry?” Everyone knows their support for LGBT issues. I know the team made an “It gets better” video and I believe they were the first NFL team to do so. That moron Culliver is the one who should apologize for his ignorant, homophobic comments, not the team. The team issued their statement. Now let’s get on with the Super Bowl! Go Niners!

mirror

Ha. Jokes on me. I don’t do twitter. Might as well be asking for a mailing address…